A high‐resolution bioclimate map of the world: a unifying framework for global biodiversity research and monitoring. Issue 5 (20th December 2012)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Metzger, Marc J.; Bunce, Robert G. H.; Jongman, Rob H. G.; Sayre, Roger; Trabucco, Antonio; Zomer, Robert; Sykes, Martin
• Is Part Of: Global ecology & biogeography. Volume 22:Issue 5(2013)
• Page Start: 630
• Page End: 638
• Publication Date: 2012-12-20
• Subjects: Ecology -- Periodicals; Biogeography -- Periodicals; Biodiversity -- Periodicals; Macroevolution -- Periodicals; 577
• DOI: 10.1111/geb.12022
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1466-822X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="geb12022-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Aim</title> <p>To develop a novel global spatial framework for the integration and analysis of ecological and environmental data.</p> </sec> <sec id="geb12022-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Location</title> <p>The global land surface excluding Antarctica.</p> </sec> <sec id="geb12022-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>A broad set of climate‐related variables were considered for inclusion in a quantitative model, which partitions geographic space into bioclimate regions. Statistical screening produced a subset of relevant bioclimate variables, which were further compacted into fewer independent dimensions using principal components analysis (PCA). An ISODATA clustering routine was then used to classify the principal components into relatively homogeneous environmental strata. The strata were aggregated into global environmental zones based on the attribute distances between strata to provide structure and support a consistent nomenclature.</p> </sec> <sec id="geb12022-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>The global environmental stratification (GEnS) consists of 125 strata, which have been aggregated into 18 global environmental zones. The stratification has a 30 arcsec resolution (equivalent to 0.86 km<sup>2</sup> at the equator). Aggregations of the strata were compared with nine existing global, continental and national bioclimate and ecosystem classifications using the Kappa statistic. Values range between 0.54 and 0.72, indicating good agreement in bioclimate and ecosystem patterns between existing maps and the GEnS.</p> </sec> <sec id="geb12022-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Main conclusions</title> <p>The GEnS provides a robust spatial analytical framework for the aggregation of local observations, identification of gaps in current monitoring efforts and systematic design of complementary and new monitoring and research. The dataset is available for non‐commercial use through the GEO portal (http://www.geoportal.org).</p> </sec> </abstract>